Pandora Academy
by sakurademonalchemist
Summary: Harry is tired of dealing with Dumbledore. Fortunately Sirius knows of other magical schools. Now Harry and Sirius are Summoners. How will the war turn out with the Summoning Guild? Will the events of the ancient past destroy everything? Harry/Alice
1. Chapter 1

It was the dream again. A world of flames and darkness. Where time could be turned back again and again, where the past could be changed or rewritten entirely.

Harry yawned. While he didn't mind the strange nightmare like dreams, he did prefer them to the corridor that went on forever until it reached an ordinary looking door.

That door scared him greatly. Every time he saw it, he felt a deep sorrow as if he had lost something important. Something very precious to him.

He went downstairs and made some toast. He didn't feel like listening to Mrs. Weasly coddle him. Sirius was still sound asleep on the couch which had been cleaned thoroughly. Instead of dealing with the others, he headed to the Black family library.

It took them three hours to figure out he was still in the house. Harry immediately ran when he realized that Hermione and Mrs. Weasly were going to rant at him for avoiding them.

Sirius had grinned, and nodded to the stairs. He took the book he had been reading with him and found Buckbeak's room. Harry bowed politely to the creature, who did the same. Harry sat against the noble beast, and went back to reading.

It was an interesting book about a prison known only as the Abyss.

Sirius popped his head in with a grin. He bowed to Buckbeak, who nodded at the man.

"Enjoying your break pup?"

"I wish they would give me some peace and quiet every once in a while. Instead I have to hide every time I want to be alone."

"I won't tell them you're up here. And I doubt Buckbeak would mind if you stay."

Harry looked at Buckbeak. He really didn't seem to care that Harry was lying against him, since the boy was fairly quiet and didn't annoy him.

Sirius handed him a plate of food, and Harry snacked on it while Buckbeak ate his own meal.

Once he was full, he fell fast asleep against the creature. Sirius took the food out, but not before covering up his godson. The boy rarely slept properly anymore.

"Honestly! Doesn't that boy know how worried we were?" said Molly in a huff.

"Don't you people realize that you were smothering him?" Sirius answered back.

"What does that mean?" Molly nearly shrieked.

"You have been watching his every move, never giving him a moment's peace. Of course he wanted some privacy! He's a fifteen year old boy Molly, not a child," said Sirius rationally.

Remus stared at him in disbelief.

"That was quite possibly the most mature thing you have ever said Padfoot."

"What's that mean?"

Remus chuckled.

Sirius looked at them all in annoyance.

"Anyway, just give him a break. Teenagers don't like having adults hovering over them every minute of the day. If you keep it up, he's liable to do something really drastic to escape the house."

Remus stared at him in shock.

"Who are you and what have you done to Sirius?"

Only Hermione seemed to understand what he was saying. Harry was still angry because they left him out of the loop for so long, and Dumbledore's orders definitely weren't helping his sanity. She resolved to help him ditch Ron at the school.

* * *

Harry stayed in Buckbeak's room for two days. During that time only Sirius would talk to him, and his presence managed to soothe the boy's anger.

It appeared that Sirius managed to get through to everyone in the house. At least now he could go into the library in peace without everyone being in an uproar.

Harry was not looking forward to going back. He was tired of the bullshit, to be honest.

So he went into Buckbeak's room again with another book.

"Sirius, how many other schools are there for magic?"

"Several. The largest ones in Europe are Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. But I know there are others."

"Do you think I could sign up for one?"

Sirius suddenly grinned.

"There is a specialized school in England, but you have to have certain requirements to get in. It would take a week or so to get a letter back."

"Let me grab Hedwig. As far as everyone is concerned, I'm owling Neville."

Sirius grinned wider.

"I'll give you the name. I really hope you make it pup, because then you could go to the school from here."

Harry smiled. He would definitely look forward to that. While Hogwarts was fun, he was tired of all the rumors and nonsense he had to put up with every year.

Sirius gave him the name of the school and Hedwig left the house through the window in Buckbeak's room. No one noticed a thing.

* * *

Harry looked up when four days later an extra owl appeared along with the Hogwarts owls. This one had an official looking scroll. Harry grabbed it before Molly had the presence of mind to do so herself. He managed to get to Sirius' room, and lock the door. Sirius had given him special permission to hide in there.

Which is the only reason he didn't end up with a rather amusing prank going off in his face. Molly tried to retrieve Harry, only for it to go off on her.

Harry winced at the shriek she let off for evading her so effectively.

He sat on the floor and read the scroll first. He had already heard Ron exclaim about becoming a prefect along with Hermione.

"_Dear Mr. Potter, _

_We are pleased to inform you that you meet the standard requirements for our school. Enclosed is a list of items that you would need to attend class. Please note that wands are not strictly necessary for our courses._

_We hope to see you very soon at our mansion. All students who have attended at least three years of Hogwarts are required to spend at least a week of special courses in order to make the transition as painless as possible._

_Sincerely, _

_Xerxes Break, Headmaster of Pandora Academy for Summoners."_

Harry grinned widely. He fully intended to switch schools. And the best part was that he could still take his OWLs without having to listen to Hermione shriek at him to study.

It wasn't until five in the afternoon when Harry was finally able to leave the room. Remus was waiting for him in the hall.

"I wouldn't recommend going downstairs right now," he said amused.

"They still mad about the second letter?"

"They are rather angry about the fact that you didn't tell them you were planning to transfer schools. Dumbledore is especially upset."

Harry snorted.

"It was a last minute decision, and I don't really care what Dumbledore has to say at the moment when he won't even look at me in the eyes. Can I ask you a favor?"

Remus looked at him shrewdly.

"It depends on the favor."

"Can you take me to Diagon tomorrow? Before anyone is awake to stop us? I need to get some supplies for the new school."

Remus grinned.

"I suppose I could do that. Provided you at least keep me up to date on how you are doing."

"That won't be a problem. According to Sirius, the school is close enough to this house that I can take a cab to and from the school."

Remus shrugged, and let the boy hide inside the room again. Hedwig was with Harry the entire night. He couldn't risk anyone trying to place a spell on her.

* * *

Harry checked every corner before Remus hurried him outside. In less than five minutes, Remus had apparated them straight outside Gringotts. It wasn't even six yet.

Harry walked right into the bank. And ran right into a problem he hadn't expected.

While the goblins didn't have a problem with him changing schools, they did have a problem with his key. He had no idea that it was a fake.

Ten minutes later he had written a will, and retrieved all the keys that he didn't know he had. Once he refilled his bag full of coins, Remus helped him find the stores with the items he needed. They managed to sneak back into the house before Molly had awoken in time to make breakfast.

Sirius was still snoring, but he awoke when Harry opened the door.

He gave his godson a doggy grin.

Once he shifted back, he said "So was it a success?"

"Aside from a minor bump at Gringotts, yeah, it was. But I am missing something on the list."

"What?"

Harry showed him the list, with the items he already had crossed off.

"A pendant made of your choice of metal with any colored gemstone. I see why you had a problem finding this. It would have to be custom made for you," said Sirius.

"The special classes start in two days. Want to come with me?"

Sirius smirked.

"You better believe it. If I have to stay in this house for any longer, I will go stark raving mad."

"Don't you mean barking mad?"

Sirius laughed, and tossed a pillow at his godson. Harry grabbed it and started an impromptu pillow fight with Sirius. The two had a bit of fun before going downstairs for breakfast.

At least until Hermione spotted Harry and almost started to shriek at him. Sirius did the only thing he could think of to preserve their hearing. He hit her with a silencer.

Just another day at Grimmauld place.

* * *

Harry and Sirius looked in all directions. They didn't want to be caught sneaking out.

That didn't mean they were successful though. Fred and George grabbed them by the shoulders with a grin.

"Sneaking out again gents?"

"Now where are you blokes planning on going so early in the morning?" asked George with a smirk.

Harry pressed a finger to his lips.

"Keep this quiet. I'll be gone for a few days attending classes. The last thing I need is your mother or worse Hermione following me!"

"Your secret is safe with us gents. But you better bring us back something good!" said Fred.

"I have something better. You two idolize the Marauders right?"

"We worship them," said George, acknowledging that it was true.

"Remus is Moony and Sirius is Padfoot. Why don't you pull a fast one on the old wolf and put a potion in his drink? Then you could blackmail him for prank ideas!" said Harry.

Sirius had an evil doggy grin. While he pitied his friend, especially since the twins would be bothering him, he applauded Harry's trick. It would be the perfect distraction.

George and Fred looked at each other, then shook Harry's hand. They had an agreement.

"Oh...and when I get back I'll deposit five hundred galleons into your account. You can use it to buy supplies for the shop," smirked Harry.

"Deal!"

Harry and Sirius managed to sneak out of the house with no more distractions. Sirius had an evil grin on his face the entire trip.

* * *

There was a man with pale hair standing at the doorway. He had a single red eye.

"Oho...seems our newest transfer student likes getting to class very early."

Harry grinned. He liked this guy, because he reminded him of Sirius when he was pranking Remus.

"I'm Harry. What's your name sir?"

"I...am Headmaster Break. I certainly didn't expect any of the students to arrive this soon. If you want, I could show you the grounds, since the special classes won't start for another two hours."

Harry was more than happy to explore the grounds. Break seemed not to notice Sirius, either that or he didn't care.

"So do you sort the students out into houses or what?" asked Harry calmly. He was quite enjoying the tour.

"We sort our applicants based on types. For those who specialize in spying, they go into the Rainsworth dorm. For those who are good at seals and opening pathways, there is the Nightray dorm. Then there is the Bezarius dorm, which has a set of abilities, but can master more than three. For those who are obsessed with information and have the ability to create illusions, there is the Barma dorm."

Harry had a feeling he was going to have fun here.

"Of course we do offer classes for students who have already graduated from any of the major schools like Hogwarts. We really have no age limit on applicants...but we do have a series of requirements on who can attend."

"Do you report to the ministry or what?"

"We only report to our guild. Say someone like, oh I don't know, _Sirius Black, _wished to attend...if he met our requirements for summoning, we would welcome him eagerly. Any attempts to remove him without his consent would be met badly."

Harry had winced when Break mentioned Sirius. So the man had noticed his godfather beside him.

"What exactly are the requirements?" asked Harry calmly.

"Well we would have to enter his magical signature into our special book, which would tell us whether he met them. It would only take a few moments to do so," said Break calmly.

Sirius looked at his godson and gently grabbed his sleeve. Harry knew what he wanted.

"Seems your dog wishes to join you..." Break noticed, amused.

Sirius barked at the man.

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let you see how we accept new students..." grinned Break.

* * *

Sirius stared at the innocent seeming book. All he had to do was place his paw on it, and a small amount of blood was taken. He didn't even feel the prick of the needle. The book had glowed for a moment, before a symbol appeared on the page. Break had grinned very widely.

"It seems we are going to have two new students this year. And both of them from the same school!"

"You mean..."

"You may as well change back, Mr. Black," said Break calmly.

Sirius returned to his human form in amusement. Break didn't even seem that surprised.

"My eyes are rather unique in that I can tell an animagus from a normal animal," said Break in explanation.

The bell tolled when it reached seven. Classes would start in an hour.

"So what happens now?" asked Sirius.

"You two will stay here for the next week so you can catch up with your fellow applicants. Meanwhile I will retrieve the supplies you two will need for later. If you wish, you may spend the rest of the half hour in the library," said Break with a smile.

The odd puppet that had sat on Break's shoulder the entire time started laughing. It was rather creepy, to be honest.

"Now now Emily, there's no reason to laugh," said Break amused.

Harry and Sirius decided to remain quiet about the bizarre puppet.

* * *

People filed in without a word. Some were students from the other schools, and there were a few Hogwarts students. None of them recognized Harry, since those were mostly upperclassmen from other houses.

Harry grinned.

Sirius decided to kill time by studying up on the materials. Break had dropped off the books he would need, and had given the two of them rooms in the same hall. They were right across from each other.

Soon enough the four classrooms were entirely full. Break entered the room where Harry was with a smile. His right eye was barely visible.

"Welcome everyone, to the mansion where we hold our tests to determine who will be accepted in the academy! Don't fret if you can't make the cut this year, because the fact that you made it this far means you are always welcome to try again later!"

There was some grumbling about that news, but it was mostly from the first time applicants.

"Now I would like you to observe the instructors carefully, as they will be showing you how to create your amulet for summoning. Please note that you will have only one chance per year to find your proper mark. While the metals and the stones can be reused, the marks are only good for one time only for each person, so choose wisely! If you manage to find your mark, you will be allowed to continue onto the school. Those that fail will have to try again next year!"

That lead to some disappointment with the younger applicants. They had hoped to join the school immediately.

"Now everyone, line up in a row. The instructors will pass out the book with the accepted marks, so take you time! We will begin our test in four hours," said Break.

Harry took the book. Sirius decided to share his, since he doubted that they would choose the same mark. This was probably their only chance to join, because it as highly unlikely that Dumbledore would allow them to try again.

Harry found an interesting mark that he just couldn't take his eyes off of. Even when he turned the page, he kept coming back to it. So he took the paper they provided and placed it on top of the mark.

Sirius had already found one he liked, and had done the same. Around them were flares of magic as the marks were copied. Finally the flaring of magic stopped completely. Break returned with a smile.

"Now everyone, you may pick your stones and metals so we may forge the amulets. For those who have already picked their ingredients before, please move on to the marked area."

Most of the applicants moved onto the next area without a word. They already knew what they had to do without being told. Harry and the other first timers went to get their materials.

Harry found a bright star silver metal that he liked. It reminded him of the night sky. For his stones he picked out a few emeralds, rubies, sapphires and four pure black gems he didn't recognize. The chain was made of solid silver.

Sirius had found a gold metal that he liked, and took out rubies, amethysts, sapphires and a few amber gems. They waited for the others and went to the next room.

Break looked in amusement at their choice of marks.

Unknown to the students, picking certain marks guaranteed a place in the academy. They would only reveal themselves to special people.

Harry and Sirius had discovered those special marks.


	2. Chapter 2

It was with fascination that they watched the amulets being forged. Soon enough Harry and Sirius were wearing their new pendants. Both of them were unique, but quite interesting to look at.

Harry's pendant was in the shape of a clock. Each dial had a gem on it, with the four black gems on the front. The four gems were in the shape of an X. Every third number on Harry's clock had a different gem. There were emeralds on the three, six, nine and twelve. There were rubies on the one, four, seven and ten. The sapphires were on the two, five, eight and eleven. And in the center of his pendant was a small music box. He didn't know what tune was placed in there, but he intended to find out later. Much to his amusement, the 'clock' automatically moved to the correct time.

Sirius, on the other hand, had a star. Each point had a series of gems that radiated inward to the center. Inside the center was his mark, inside a pool of red liquid that never moved. On the back was a symbol encrusted in the amber and sapphire colored gems.

Sirius had no idea what the symbol was. He decided to look it up in his spare time.

Break appeared again. He appeared very amused with them all. Then again, he always seemed like that to them. Like he was in on an amusing secret none of them could truly fathom.

"Now that everyone has their pendant, we shall move onto the next stage. Follow me everyone!" said Break cheerfully.

* * *

Harry and Sirius waited for their turn. They were allowed to see the everyone's attempts. If the mark glowed beneath their feet, then they passed. If it didn't, then they failed. It was quite simple.

Fortunately for the new applicants, the task was simple. They just had to think of their mark on their pendants. If it was the one that suited them, then it would appear.

Sirius went up calmly. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling this would be interesting.

He stepped into the large circle made of pure silver and gold. Once he was in the center, he didn't waste any time. His instincts told him what to do.

He saw the mark in his mind, and his hand raised itself.

The mark came to life, and almost enveloped the room itself. A black figure appeared behind him, but no one could tell what it was at all. It was little more than shadow.

Break applauded as he announced the results.

"Sirius Black, Pass! With flying colors I may add."

Sirius looked surprised. He didn't expect that to happen. He sat next to Harry, who was going up next.

Harry saw the mark in his mind's eye...and something strange happened.

His new pendant opened itself, and the tune in the music box began to play on it's own. He had wound it up so it would keep the time. He didn't know that also wound up the music box inside.

The mark he had chosen sprang up beneath his feet, almost too bright to see clearly. Like Sirius, a shadowy figure stood behind him...but his was different. There were tendrils that resembled chains on his shadow.

Harry felt weakened.

"Harry Potter, Pass!"

Once Harry was next to Sirius, he leaned against his godfather. One by one they tried to summon their mark. Aside from Sirius and Harry, little more than fifty passed the test. Break seemed very happy about the results.

"For those who passed, please wait in the next room. Those that have failed, better luck next year. We wish you the best of luck on your travels," said Break calmly.

Those that couldn't find their mark left the mansion without a word. It wasn't like they couldn't return. Unknown to the new applicants, sometimes it took time for a mark to accept someone. That was part of the reason why there was a time limit on them.

(The other reason was because if they tried to reforge a new mark before the year was up, it would create a disastrous summon when used. So they only allowed new applications once per year for that reason.)

* * *

Harry crashed on his new bed. It was really comfortable. Next to him was another student named Elliot. He was also a newcomer to the school. But unlike Harry, he had tried to join it for five years straight.

"That was an impressive summoning you did," said Elliot.

"Thanks. I have no idea why that thing appeared though. I was just trying to get my mark to appear so I could pass."

"You may have a special one. Every once in a while, someone picks a special mark that automatically summons something during the test. People who get those are automatically accepted, even if the mark doesn't appear at first."

"I have to admit, I half expected them to give us pendants that were already made."

Elliot laughed.

"Please! The metals and the gems aren't really that special. It's the marks that are important. The materials are ordinary ones that the goblins give us each year as part of an agreement that was made years ago. From what I hear, the pendants are tailor made for each summoner and they don't have any special powers. The materials become a little more enchanted each time someone uses them to summon things. Once you graduate they're classed as magical artifacts that can only be used by their owners."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Break mentioned it to me. Which means by the time you leave, that pocket watch will only be of use to you alone."

Harry grinned at his roommate. He was beginning to like Elliot. He seemed like a lot of fun.

"Anyway, we should sleep while we can. I hear the opening classes are brutal for newbies!"

Harry laughed, and agreed wholeheartedly. He couldn't wait for them to start!

* * *

Dumbledore was not a happy camper. From the Ministry's very obvious move on the school to losing his pawn, things were not starting off the way he had planned. While he could tolerate the presence of Umbridge, losing Harry infuriated him.

To make his day even worse, the place he had lost Harry to never answered to his influence. The infuriating headmaster of Pandora had told him quite bluntly that he would never be accepted into the school, even if he wanted to attend.

Dumbledore didn't believe for a second that there was a book that could tell if someone had the potential or not.

Because he would never be accepted, he wasn't allowed onto the grounds. No one was allowed, unless the book said they had the potential to summon.

Every single one of his spies who had managed to get into Pandora Academy never returned.

They weren't killed...but they did tend to switch sides very quickly. He had no clue as to why that happened, because there were never any indications that they had been enchanted to obey the Summoner's guild.

* * *

Harry woke up around eight. The classes wouldn't start until ten at least, which gave students plenty of time to wake up and have breakfast.

While they didn't wake up early, they made up for it by having classes well into the wee hours of the morning. The last class ended around two in the morning.

Harry grinned as he peaked his head into the room across the hall. Sirius was still sound asleep, and his roommate didn't look too happy about his snoring problem.

"I've been trying to wake him up for an hour," the man complained.

Harry went into the bathroom and retrieved a large bucket of cold water. He then poured it on the hound, who was still snoring loudly.

Sirius shot out of the bed as if he had been thrown. He glared at Harry and his roommate, who were cracking up.

"Sirius, you need to remember to put a silencing charm around your bed," said Harry.

"I would prefer it if he did," said his roommate.

Harry held out his hand.

"Harry Potter."

"Leo Blackfang."

Sirius glared at them both.

"Harry~! What was that for!" Sirius whined.

"I could hear your snoring from the hallway. It was horrible," replied Harry calmly.

Sirius wouldn't stop whining until Harry brought out the second bucket. This one was full of girly smelling soap.

"Would you like a bath, Siri?"

Sirius whimpered as Harry cackled evilly. Leo snickered.

"I can see the next few months will be most entertaining."

Elliot grinned when Leo told him how Harry got Sirius up. It turned out that Leo and Elliot were old friends. This was the first time either had been accepted into the Academy, and they had most of the same classes together.

* * *

For the next month, Harry and the others attended classes. Since they would share a room even if sorted into a different house, Elliot got to know Harry a lot better.

It seemed Pandora didn't believe in the segregation due to different personalities and abilities. There wasn't any inter-house rivalry in Pandora Academy. While the point system did exist, it wasn't as pointless as the one in Hogwarts.

The point system mostly kept track on the performance of the students rather than the house as a whole.

Which, when Harry thought about it, made more sense then judging students as part of a whole. It cut down on the fighting between classes.

Plus there were incentives to get a good score.

If you had a high score for longer than a few months, then the student would receive a special privilege or prize.

So far out of all the new students, Harry had the highest point score, with Sirius a close second. Elliot and Leo were right behind them.

Harry found the classes a lot more fun than he expected. Even the history class was informative. (And it didn't put them to sleep.)

Since they were still learning about summoning in general, no one had found their true partners yet.

Harry winced as he felt his neck get a crick. It seemed like every time he went to class, he felt sore afterword. Whether it was from the fighting they did, the magical training, or from sitting in place for two hours straight.

Sirius had the same problem. He always felt like he had fallen asleep in Binn's class, which resulted in a rather painful position for his bones. They tended to pop back into place once he stood up.

"So Elliot, Leo, have you found your partner yet?" asked Harry.

It was all anyone seemed to talk about in the first level. Those that found their partner would start some of the harder classes, and learn to work together.

"No, but we are getting close. Hey, have you heard about the special place that can grant you a partner just by going there?" asked Leo.

Break seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"GAH!" yelped Harry. Break was in the cabinet.

He was very amused by the boy's reaction.

"So even you two have heard about that place. I wonder who keeps repeating that old rumor?" said Break.

"You mean it's not a rumor?" asked Sirius.

"While there is a place where people can find a partner, whether or not the one you get is suited to your power is debatable."

"Where is this place?" asked Harry, curious.

"It's a special dimension where madness is rampant and there is little chance of escape if you are thrown in. However, the partners that people find there are quite powerful. I myself have one from that place."

Sirius looked interested.

"Is it against the rules to go there or something?" he asked.

"Well, not really. We just don't advise it. You won't get into trouble with the academy, but you may find _yourself_ in trouble if you go."

The four looked interested now.

"I can take you to the outskirts, but whether or not you go in is up to you," said Break.

They decided to take a look during their one free day. Break seemed amused by their decision.

* * *

"There's always at least one person foolish enough to enter the Abyss, isn't there Emily?"

"_So silly! Why would they want to go there if they didn't have to?"_ replied Emily.

"Who knows. Oh well, it should prove interesting to see what happens to Sirius and Harry, wouldn't you agree?"

Emily started to laugh in a creepy manner.

Break looked to the distant clock tower.

"Perhaps it shall begin again..."

* * *

Harry wiped the sand from his eyes as he got out of bed. Like Hogwarts, Pandora Academy employed house elves. It was easier than hiring humans who complained. The biggest difference between the two schools in that matter was the fact that the house elves were given a day off every week. That was the day that students were allowed to go into London. They were encouraged to eat outside the school.

It worked rather well.

Harry met Sirius and Elliot in the garden. Leo went into town for new books. He decided against going to the rumored realm.

"I see you have made up your minds. Follow me if you will."

Break lead them to a large ornate door. It looked like it was made of golden darkness. It had a very ominous feel to it.

"You can probably see why we don't recommend going in here for partners. While you may find one that will allow you to progress to the next level, that partner may not be meant for you. Picking the wrong one often leads to poor or weak summoning."

Elliot seemed unsure about going in. Something about the doorway didn't feel right to him. Harry and Sirius on the other hand, touched the door without hesitating.

They were sucked inside.

Break held out a hand to prevent Elliot from following them.

"I don't think your partner is waiting for you on the other side of the door."

"But what about...?"

Break turned to the door.

"Their partners have been waiting for them. While I wouldn't normally have allowed a student to go through that door unhindered, their power comes from that other world. And what sort of teacher would purposely hold their student back?"

(Elsewhere in Hogwarts, Snape and Dumbledore sneezed three times. Both wondered whether they were coming down with a cold.)

* * *

Sirius and Harry were split apart almost immediately. They were both aware of the other being there, but they couldn't reach them.

Their marks began to glow brightly in the darkness. A single beam of that light lead them deeper into the dimension.

* * *

(_Harry POV_)

It was so cold here. And the feeling that always enveloped him when he was at Hogwarts was back in full force. The loneliness that always followed him was back.

He had always felt so alone even in the crowded great hall. No one had ever looked at him, only at his scar. They never saw past his fame, his money or his popularity. And it made him sick. Sick of the bigotry, sick of the hatred, sick of everything.

He had never liked Hogwarts that much.

"_**You've come back!"**_

Harry turned. There was no one there. All he could see was a world like an upturned toy box. It was like Break had said. This was a world where madness and insanity ruled.

He rather liked the place.

He felt a presence nearby. It was so familiar and warm. He started to run towards that feeling. Somehow, in his heart, he knew that if he found it, he would never be alone again. There was someone just for him, waiting. Someone who needed him as much as he needed them.

The feeling in his heart felt like the sun.

It was a girl. She had a Victorian outfit in red and white. Her long blackish brown hair reached down to her waist. Some of it was in a long braid.

She sensed he was there, and her eyes light up in delight.

"_**You came back. I always knew you would find me again!"**_

A name, long since forgotten, rose to his lips. He had heard it before on lesser creatures, but it was a precious name when applied to her.

"_Alice."_

Her smile lit up his world. She ran towards him, her braids flying behind her. The moment she was in his arms, he knew that the missing piece of himself had been filled. She was his sun, his light.

No matter what would happen from that point on, she would protect him, and he would protect her. It wasn't something as simple as a master and servant relationship. It was something more.

It was a partnership.

His watch opened up, and the tune began to play. He could taste blood on his lips, as Alice gave him a part of her being. The clock took in the contract, and the world fell back into place.

* * *

(_Sirius POV)_

He didn't know where he was, but he suspected it was his own mind from the way the place looked. After being in Azkaban for twelve years, his mind wasn't the best place to be.

An innocent man forced to face his own darkness was hardly the sanest person around.

He heard wings above him. He didn't bother to look.

The golden light from his star showed a path into the madness. He followed it without knowing why. The wings grew louder.

Suddenly the light pooled around his feet.

The wings landed in the water around him. A single eye stared at him in amusement.

"**So you are my new master. Prove yourself worthy, human!"**

Sirius growled. There was no way he was going to let this overgrown feather duster kill him off! Not after the hell he had endured for twelve years. Not until he caught the traitorous rat and made him pay for his crimes.

The wings attacked him and he turned into Padfoot without thinking. He lunged at the wings, not caring if he survived or not. He was the Grim. He was the black spectral hound that caused death!

He would not let this bird thing stop him from protecting his godson and fulfilling the promise he made to James.

"**Interesting. I have not seen a human like you in centuries."**

The bird came into view of Padfoot. It was an enormous Raven, black as death.

The raven settled into it's spot. A single drop of blood fell onto Sirius's pendant. The red core pulsed, as the contract was complete. Raven would now follow Sirius' commands.

* * *

Harry came out of the doorway first. The girl he had found in that realm followed him eagerly. She had been so alone in that place that she had almost forgotten what the outside was like. Sirius was next, though he looked a little worn out. There were a few claw marks on his left arm.

"Welcome back Harry, Sirius. I see you've both found your true partners."

Break then turned to the girl. He grinned when she hissed at him.

"Break! I should have known you were still around!" she growled.

"Now is that any way to treat an old friend, Alice-kun?"

Harry looked very surprised.

"Alice, you know him?"

"He's the stupid clown! He always shows up in the weirdest places and likes to order me around! Useless servant!" she growled.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry was amused. There was no other way to describe it. Alice seemed to be annoyed by Break, and Break was just plain amused that she had reappeared.

Break turned to Sirius.

"So which one did you get?"

"An overgrown feather duster with an attitude problem," he said sourly.

"Raven then. You two may as well go into town for the day. It will take a bit of time for Alice to get used to the way the world has changed since she returned to the Abyss."

Sirius finally noticed the girl who seemed to be clinging to his godson. He actually looked rather amused.

* * *

Alice refused to leave Harry's side as long as they were outside the Academy. She seemed very surprised to see how much the place had changed since she left the normal world.

Everything was so different now.

Before there were no cars around, the air was smoky, but clean, and there were street vendors on most corners.

But things were very different now. Instead of carriages, there were cars that spewed noxious gases. The air felt cloying and dirty. There were so few vendors, and none of them sold anything that resembled the food she remembered.

So naturally, she clung to her contractor rather firmly. Sirius thought the thing pretty amusing himself. Mostly because from his point of view, Harry had found a rather interesting girlfriend.

Whereas he found a bird with a major attitude problem.

"So are you hungry, Alice?" asked Harry.

Sirius heard the way he said that name. Like it was an important word for him.

Alice's stomach growled loudly. Harry laughed. Instead of heading to a vendor, he headed to the meat market. Alice reluctantly stayed with Sirius as Harry got the ingredients he needed. It was a good thing he knew how to cook large amounts of food.

They returned to their dorm, where Elliot and Leo were waiting. They raised an eye at the amount of meat Harry had bought.

"You planning on feeding the first level Harry?" asked Leo, amused.

"Not exactly. Alice, could you wait with them while I make dinner? It will only be a little bit."

She pouted, and Harry tried not to laugh. She looked so silly!

"I'm sure _Break_ could give you something to do..." Harry hinted. She scowled at him.

"I don't want anything to do with that damn clown."

Harry laughed.

Alice was happy. Her contractor remembered how much she loved meat. Even if the taste was slightly odd, she still ate to her hearts content. Luckily, Harry had bought enough for everyone in the dorm.

Leo and Elliot wanted to know more about Alice. Unfortunately, Harry didn't know much about her. Only a few bits and pieces from his own memories. He didn't know where they came from, since this was his first time meeting Alice.

Finally, Sirius asked a question that would eventually reveal how Harry and Alice knew each other.

"So Alice, what is his name?"

"Who's name?"

"Your contractor, as you keep calling him," said Sirius.

"Oz. Oz Bezarius."

"Eh? But my name is Harry!"

Alice looked startled.

"Gomen. It's been a long day," said Alice.

Harry yawned. Between that place and cooking, he was tired.

Sirius was no better, since he had fought a rather large bird. So they all decided to go to sleep early.

* * *

Break watched as Alice curled up to Harry. He knew why the boy had become partners with her. And Alice definitely recognized him without being told. It didn't hurt that so few of his features had changed over the passage of time.

He idly wondered how Sirius would react to the truth. While he had managed to get his ancestor's power, the question was how he would use it.

He closed the door silently. Things were going to get very hectic soon. And he couldn't wait for the old man in the crumbling castle to make his move.

He cheerfully walked to through the halls with the candle-holder on his head.

* * *

(_Harry's dream_)

He was in that place again. The world that was full of fire and darkness. He heard the sound of water, dripping into a pool of liquid. Suddenly the scenery changed.

It was a garden. There were two statues crossing swords, and the walkway behind him felt so familiar.

"_This is the place where it all began, and will begin again..."_ whispered the wind.

Harry turned. No one was there. But he knew he wasn't alone.

So he began to walk. The scenery didn't change that much, until he stopped for a rest. That was when she appeared. A vision of Alice, much more innocent than he remembered, appeared before him. She began to run away from him.

Without hesitating, he followed.

The lullaby that haunted his waking dreams filled the air. Slowly, he turned. And found two people sitting on the wall behind him.

They could have passed for brothers. Both of them had golden hair, though the older one had a long braid. One appeared to be his age, while the older looked about ten years his senior. They lifted their faces, and his breath stopped.

Both of them had emerald eyes. Eyes that had so often stared back at him from a mirror.

"Who...who are you?" asked Harry.

They both smiled.

"I...am Jack. Jack Bezarius."

"I am Oz Bezarius," said the younger boy.

Harry knew that name. Alice had called him that by mistake twice earlier.

"How do you two know Alice?"

They smiled even wider at him.

Harry stared at Oz with suspicion.

"You are the same Oz Bezarius that Alice mistook me for are you?"

Oz had an evil grin on his face. Harry felt like swearing.

"While I can understand the fact that we have the same eyes, frankly I don't see the resemblance.

Jack nearly fell over laughing.

"So what's the name of that tune? I've been trying to find it with no success at all."

"Lacie," said Jack, grinning.

"Catchy. That reminds me. My godfather had this weird symbol on the back of his pendant...any idea what it is?"

Oz grinned.

"Nightray. Has he gotten the Raven yet?"

"Is Raven the bird with the attitude problem?" asked Harry.

Oz and Jack cracked up.

Harry grinned. Somehow, he knew they would get along just fine.

* * *

Alice woke up first. She decided to have fun with her new partner by pulling the same trick he had on Sirius their first day. She dumped a bucket of water on him.

Harry woke up with a squawk of indignation.

"Alice~!" he whined.

Alice and Elliot laughed at him.

Harry wasn't surprised to find that his schedule changed around. Now he would have classes only until midnight. He had been given another hundred points for finding his partner.

Sirius was less than happy with his partner. Raven, while it would do as he commanded, simply didn't like him that much. It kept trying to trip him up whenever it could. Sirius was frustrated with the bird.

When he complained about it to Break, all he got was a rather infuriating laugh out of the man.

"Raven isn't your partner. He's your Chain. Your partner is still waiting for you," said Break.

Sirius only growled in response...then looked up what Break had meant by Chain.

Break was amused. Not only had Sirius found the family Chain and bound it to himself, but he had learned the difficulties of managing one. He really hoped the man found his partner before the holidays, otherwise he would have to move his classes for those who couldn't summon.

Unknown to the applicants, there were actually two classes of Summoners in Pandora.

One class was the actual Summoners, who could bring forth anything that matched with their own powers.

Then there were the Contractors, those who could only summon Chains from the Abyss.

Those that managed to become Contractors were taught an entire different set of skills than the summoners. Either way, the Ministry still didn't have any control over them.

* * *

Sirius decided to take a long break, since he wouldn't have class in the morning. He never thought he would enjoy school this much. The classes were entertaining, the subjects interesting, and the teachers knew how to make what they taught stick.

And every time he got stuck or frustrated with the fact that he didn't understand something, someone would help him.

He would often wonder how Moony would react to the school. Unfortunately, Dumbledore had expected them to think along those lines, which was why Remus was off in Bulgaria and out of communication for the past five months. Sirius felt rather put out that he couldn't talk to his friend.

Something didn't feel right. He felt like he was only half as strong as before. Like there was something missing from himself. Or from his magic.

As he walked down the garden, enjoying the breeze, he heard the tune which lay inside Harry's pocket watch.

Harry had taken to checking the time, just to hear that tune.

Seeing no point not to follow the song (thinking Harry was on the other end of it) he walked along the path. He didn't pay attention to where his feet walked...until the path suddenly collapsed on him.

"OW!"

Sirius felt for the bump he knew would be there. It wasn't.

Before him was the base of the massive tree in the garden. One which students had a tendency to climb.

Close to the base was a large tombstone. The cross looked vaguely familiar...but the writing was so faded that it was impossible to read.

Well, almost impossible. Sirius took his wand and waved it close to the stone. Then took out a spare piece of parchment and waved it over it.

"Lacie?"

Break appeared behind him, amused.

"No one has ever been able to read the inscription on the stone," he said.

"Because it's so worn down?"

"Pretty much. So it's a grave to a woman named Lacie?"

"Apparently."

"Well that puts that mystery to rest. Now you have to fix the stones. I had thought that the path had been fixed properly so no one would fall again."

Sirius nodded sheepishly.

He yawned. So far his magical powers had been spiking and falling with no real pattern. It was rather annoying really.

Sirius rolled over in the hammock that had been set up for the student's use (it was rarely unoccupied except at night). Under the fake sun under the trees (it was actually raining which was why no one else had tried to take it) he fell asleep.

And had the strangest dream since leaving Azkaban.

* * *

_He was walking on four legs. He shook his head. _

_'I must be Padfoot again...'_ thought Sirius.

_As Padfoot he stalked the halls, noting that for some reason they were suspiciously empty. It was usually bustling at this time of night...it was the mornings when it was completely empty._

_He paused by a mirror and realized that yes, he had turned into Padfoot without realizing it. But after a moment he looked again._

_Something was strange about his animal form. The form was too fluid to be natural, even for him. And the edges seemed to move in ways he wasn't familiar with._

_Then he got a good look at his eyes. No longer were they a startling sapphire blue._

_Now they were glowing red embers that seemed to burn like flames._

_Sirius shivered...he wasn't Padfoot at all right now. He remembered what his godson had said about him when he first saw Sirius in the park that night._

_He said that he had seen glowing eyes and canine form...before he was nearly hit by the Knight Bus._

_It couldn't be possible...but it clearly was._

_He...was the Grim. A Black Dog often found in Ireland. A lone howl pierced the night as Sirius ran to the garden. The hole had been taped off since Break wanted to make sure the stones didn't collapse again. He ran into the hole, hoping to keep from hurting those he had grown close to over the past few months._

_He curled up next to the grave and fell back asleep._

* * *

Sirius jolted awake. That dream had been way too real for his liking! He swung off the hammock, and nearly fell. Some of the ropes had gotten twisted around his foot. Finally he got up.

He should have known better than to sleep there. Rumor had it that odd dreams would often come to those that did. (There was another rumor that accompanied it, but Sirius couldn't recall what it was.)

Instead of heading to his bed, he decided to check the grave. He didn't know why, but he felt like he had to. The missing piece of his magic was waiting there.

He carefully ducked under the rope, and went down. The rain began to pour harder than before. He couldn't leave without getting completely drenched. He sighed, and walked down further.

And paused. There, curled around the stone, was an enormous black dog. Two long fangs peaked out from under it's muzzle, and they looked like they could rip him to pieces.

The dog woke up and glared at him. It didn't like humans, he knew. So he turned into Padfoot instead.

It yawned widely, before walking to him.

_At least my partner isn't a complete idiot,_ it said in his mind.

Power flowed into his body. He could feel Padfoot grow and his teeth lengthen. When it settled, he could feel his senses were stronger.

He howled into the night, and ran into the corridors. The rain barely touched his fur as he raced through the school. When he skidded into his room, he walked into his bathroom and changed back.

Where a rather skinny, malnourished man had stood before, there was now a well toned and muscular man with longer than normal canines and bright blue eyes. He couldn't count any ribs, and he felt better than he had in years.

Harry cautiously opened the door into the bedroom.

"Sirius? Everything okay? You tore through the halls like a mad hound."

"Everything's fine Pup. Better than fine!"

Sirius walked out and enjoyed his godson's gape.

"I think I found my partner."

Sirius was very happy to join his godson in his partner class. He also had an extra for those who had a Chain.

Harry was glad that his godfather no longer looked like the man who had just escaped after twelve years of captivity. It meant that there was little chance people would recognize him unless he told them that he was Sirius Black.

Because of his new look, Sirius could walk into the Ministry of Magic and no one would realize it.

Which he did.

* * *

"I am looking for Amelia Bones."

The man didn't look up, and gave him the floor he would need before waving him on.

Sirius walked up to the floor full of Aurors, past Kingsley Shaklebolt and Andromeda Tonks, and right into her office. She looked up in question. The man before her seemed familiar, but she couldn't place where.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to report a miscarriage of justice. A Summoner has been falsely accused of a crime and never given a proper trial."

Her eyebrows shot up in shock. If this was true, then the Summoner Guild would have their heads!

"Where can I find this Summoner?"

"He said he would wait in Gringotts bank, so as to insure that he would not be falsely imprisoned twice, or worse Kissed."

"When?" she asked faintly.

"Two days from now. Ironfang will show you where. He needs his name cleared, so bring whatever you need to confirm truth."

She nodded faintly, and he left.

But before he left the floor, he realized with surprise and amusement that he was alone on an elevator with Tonks and Kingsley. His grin widened to infectious levels.

"Hello cousin," said Sirius.

Tonks whipped around with her wand trained on him, only to nearly drop it in shock.

"Sirius?"

"Woof woof," he grinned.

Kingsley was in shock. He had been missing for months, and he shows up on the same floor as the Aurors? Was he insane?

"Hope I see you in two days time at Gringotts. Should be an entertaining show," smirked Sirius.

"Are you mad?" asked Kingsley, when he could see straight.

"Possibly, but at least I'm never boring."

The two Aurors watched in shock as Sirius walked right past Fudge and the man didn't blink. He didn't even see him.

"I'll be damned if I know how he did that," said Tonks.

"You and me both."

* * *

Harry and the others laughed when they saw the confrontation.

"So you're going to Gringotts in two days to clear your name?" asked Leo.

"Absolutely. I should never have chased after that rat fourteen years ago. It's about time my name was cleared."

"What would be your first action as a free man?" asked Elliot.

Sirius looked at Harry.

"It's about time I fulfilled my promise to James. I'm not letting Dumbledore have his way again."

"You mean finally I wouldn't have to live with those...people?"

"Never again Pup," said Sirius, messing up Harry's hair. Not that it could get any messier.

Things quickly deteriorated into a massive pillow fight when Harry accidentally hit Leo with his. Leo retaliated and hit Elliot, who hit Sirius.


End file.
